Oyo kidnap victim recounts 14-day ordeal, says family paid N15m ransom

By Adeola Badru

A woman who spent 14 days in captivity after being abducted in Ibadan, Oyo State, has recounted her ordeal, revealing that her family paid N15 million ransom to secure her freedom.

The victim, who requested anonymity, spoke with Vanguard about the emotional and psychological trauma she endured following the abduction, which occurred in June 2025.

According to her, she was kidnapped while returning home after delivering goods to a customer in the Abegunde Babalola area near Orita.

She said the incident occurred between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. “I was going home with my children. I had delivered some goods to a customer and collected payment. As I was about to enter my car, two men suddenly crossed the road and dragged me into their vehicle at gunpoint,” she recalled.

The woman said although her children were nearby, the kidnappers targeted only her. “They did not kidnap my children. I was the only one they took,” she said.

She disclosed that she was held alone throughout her captivity and could not identify any of her abductors because they consistently concealed their faces.

“I cannot recognise any of them because they covered their faces,” she stated.

Describing the experience as traumatic, the victim said she lived in constant fear during her detention.

She recalled that her birthday fell while she was in captivity, making the experience even more painful.

“It was two days to my birthday. On my birthday, I was crying because I thought I should have been celebrating outside, not in captivity,” she said.

According to her, one of the kidnappers noticed her distress and asked why she was crying.

“When I told him it was my birthday, they started singing for me. Later, they brought me chicken and apples and told me to eat,” she recounted.

The victim also said her captors allowed her to observe her religious obligations after she informed them that she was a Muslim and wished to pray.

“The first day we got there, they asked me what I wanted. I told them I wanted to pray. They went out and got prayer beads and a kettle for me,” she said.

However, she stressed that those gestures did not diminish the trauma of the experience.

“I cannot fully describe what I went through. It was a terrible experience,” she said.

The woman confirmed that her family eventually paid N15 million ransom before she was released after 14 days in captivity.

“Yes, N15 million was paid before I was released,” she disclosed.

She expressed gratitude for her freedom while urging authorities to intensify efforts to tackle kidnapping and insecurity across the country.

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